Sydney: Fickle weather on day four prevented India from closing in on a big win in the fourth Test but they were well on course for their maiden series victory in Australia after forcing the hosts to follow-on at home for the first time since 1988.
Bad light and intermitted rain led to substantial loss of play with only 25.2 overs bowled on day four. Australia were placed at six for no loss in 4 overs after Kuldeep Yadav’s () five-wicket haul in his maiden Test Down Under helped India bowl the home team out for 300 in the first innings.
Umpires took players off the field with eight minutes remaining in the belated afternoon session. Marcus Harris (2 batting) and Usman Khawaja (4 batting) were the unbeaten batsmen with Australia still trailing by 316 runs.
But play didn’t resume at all once the scheduled tea break was over, as bad light hampered proceedings once again. The umpires waited for nearly an hour, coming out for inspection in between, before making a decision at 5 pm local time.
The match officials were ready to wait until 6 pm for light to improve, but a slight drizzle put paid to the wait and the day was called off at 5.20 pm local time. This was after Australia were bowled out for 300 and were asked to follow-on, surrendering a lead of 322 runs.
After the morning session was washed out, play resumed at 1.50 pm local time with 230 minutes lost to bad light and rain since day three.
India took the second new ball immediately and made quick inroads. Mohammed Shami (2/58) bowled Pat Cummins (25) with a ball that kept low on the sixth ball after resumption of play.
At the other end, Jasprit Bumrah (1/62) set up Peter Handscomb (37). Kuldeep then trapped Nathan Lyon (0) lbw as Australia lost three wickets for 22 runs in the space of 44 balls.
The left-arm chinaman bowler could have immediately completed his five-wicket haul, but Hanuma Vihari put down a skier from Josh Hazlewood (21) at mid on. In the process, Vihari hurt his left shoulder whilst fielding and didn’t take the field later on in the session, with Hardik Pandya coming on as a substitute fielder.
Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc (29 n o) then added 42 runs for the 10th wicket as Australia reached 300 despite another pitiful batting display.
Yadav got his reward thereafter with Hazlewood trapped lbw on a close umpire’s call, and the decision stayed in the wrist-spinner’s favour despite DRS.
Statfacts
1988 – The last time Australia were asked to follow-on at home. England achieved the feat, also at SCG
2005 – The last time Australia were asked to follow-on in Tests with England being the enforcer in Nottingham
172 – Australia had played 172 consecutive home Tests without following-on before this SCG Test
4 – Times India have asked Australia to follow-on. This was the first time since the 1986 Test in Sydney with the other two instances came in 1979-80 home series, in Delhi and Mumbai
5/99 – Kuldeep Yadav’s figures, the second-best by a visiting left-arm wrist-spinner in Australia. Johnny Wardle (England) had picked up 5/79 at SCG in 1955, the only other overseas bowler to achieve the feat